home Calculators Types and degrees of hearing loss in children and treatment of the disease. How to identify hearing impairment at an early age, features of treatment of hearing loss in children

Types and degrees of hearing loss in children and treatment of the disease. How to identify hearing impairment at an early age, features of treatment of hearing loss in children

Hearing loss varying degrees severity, making it difficult to perceive speech and surrounding sounds. Symptoms of hearing loss in children may include a lack of reaction to the sound of a toy, a mother’s voice, calls, requests, or whispered speech; absence of humming and babbling; speech and mental development etc. Diagnosis of hearing loss in children includes otoscopy, audiometry, acoustic impedance measurement, registration of otoacoustic emissions, and determination of auditory EP. Taking into account the causes and type of hearing loss in children, medication and physiotherapeutic treatment, hearing aids, functional otosurgery methods, and cochlear implantation can be used.

Classification of hearing loss in children

Taking into account the etiological condition, hereditary, congenital and acquired hearing loss in children is distinguished. Depending on the location of the damage in the auditory analyzer, it is customary to distinguish:

sensorineural (sensorineural) hearing loss in children, developing as a result of damage to the sound-receiving apparatus: inner ear, auditory nerve or central departments auditory analyzer.
conductive hearing loss in children, developing as a result of damage to the sound-conducting apparatus: the external ear, eardrum and middle ear (auditory ossicles).
mixed hearing loss in children, in which the functions of sound transmission and sound perception are simultaneously impaired.

In the structure of childhood hearing loss, sensorineural lesions are detected in 91% of cases, conductive in 7%, and mixed in the rest.

The severity of hearing loss in children is assessed based on speech and pure-tone audiometry data:

1st degree (26-40 dB) – the child hears spoken speech from a distance of 4-6 m, whispered speech from a distance of 1-3 m; does not distinguish between speech against background noise and distant speech;
2nd degree (41-55 dB) - the child distinguishes spoken speech only from a distance of 2-4 m, whispered speech - from a distance of 1 m;
3rd degree (56-70 dB) – the child hears spoken speech only from a distance of 1-2 m; whispered speech becomes inaudible;
4th degree (71-90 dB) – the child does not distinguish spoken speech.

An increase in the hearing threshold above 91 dB is regarded as deafness.

Based on the time of onset of hearing loss, a distinction is made between prelingual (occurring before the development of speech) and postlingual (occurring after the appearance of speech) hearing loss in children.

Causes of hearing loss in children

Hearing loss during therapy with ototoxic drugs in children usually manifests itself 2-3 months after the start of treatment and is bilateral. Hearing loss can reach 40-60 dB. The first signs of hearing loss in children are often vestibular disorders(gait instability, dizziness), tinnitus.

Diagnosis of hearing loss in children

At the screening stage, the leading role in diagnosing hearing loss in children is assigned to a neonatologist, pediatrician and pediatric otolaryngologist. Special attention in the first year of life, attention should be paid to identifying congenital and hereditary hearing loss in children at risk. In well-hearing newborns, in response to sounds, various unconditioned reactions are normally recorded (blinking, pupil dilation, Moro reflex, inhibition of the sucking reflex, etc.). From 3-4 months, a child’s ability to localize a sound source can be determined. To identify pathology of the outer ear and eardrum, otoscopy is performed.

From non-drug methods For the treatment of hearing loss in children, pneumomassage of the tympanic membrane, acupuncture, magnetic therapy, endaural

Prevention of hearing loss in children includes the elimination of perinatal risk factors, vaccination, prevention of diseases of the ENT organs, and refusal to take ototoxic drugs. To provide harmonious development Children suffering from hearing loss need comprehensive medical and pedagogical support at all age stages.

Pathological hearing impairment, in which the perception of sounds is partially preserved, is called hearing loss. This deviation is quite common, especially in children under the age of 5 - 7 years. This condition is very dangerous, since the development of speech, memory and intelligence is associated with hearing. In the absence of hearing, abstract logical thinking is impaired, skills, knowledge and abilities are poorly absorbed, and mental activity is significantly reduced.

Hearing loss is medically called bradiacusia or hypoacusia. This is a disorder of auditory perception of varying degrees, which can occur suddenly or develop gradually. This pathology is caused by a disorder in the function of the sound-receiving and sound-conducting parts of the ear. Most severe complication hearing loss is deafness. If a person with hearing loss can hear loud sounds or speech, then with deafness there is an absolute inability to distinguish sounds, even the loudest.

The characteristics of hearing loss indicate that this pathology can affect one ear or both, its severity varies different ears may be different. It is caused by damage to sound-conducting structures - these are the organs of the middle and outer ear, or the sound-receiving apparatus - the organs of the inner ear and brain. Often, hearing loss is caused by dysfunction of both structures; to assess the situation, it is necessary to understand their structure and functions.

Many people know that the auditory analyzer is the ear, the auditory nerve and the auditory cortex of the brain. When a person hears a sound, the signal is transmitted through the auditory nerve to the brain, and there it is processed. With the help of the brain, a person recognizes sound, that is, the signal is “decoded”.

The human ear not only serves to transmit a signal, but also takes an active part in “unpacking” it. Ear structures such as the eardrum and the auditory ossicles are responsible for the perception and recognition of sounds. In the inner ear, sound is transformed into electrical nerve impulses, which then travel along nerve fibers to the brain.

From this it is clear that the outer and middle ear plays the role of a sound conductor, inner ear, the auditory nerve and the cerebral cortex perform sound-perceiving functions. Accordingly, hearing loss can occur either due to disruption of the structures of the outer and middle ear, or due to disorders of the function of the inner ear and auditory nerve.

Causes of hearing loss in children

The causes of hearing loss in children can be different. It can be acquired or congenital, depending on when it appeared. Early (congenital) can be present in a newborn, or form in early age. Hearing loss in a child after 5 years of age is considered late or acquired. The cause of hearing loss in a child under 3 years of age can be:

Causes of hearing loss in older children preschool age, that is, acquired, can be:

The occurrence of hearing loss depends on the characteristics child's body, this process is purely individual and can be a consequence of either a single factor or their combination.

Signs of hearing loss in a child

It is not at all difficult to recognize hearing loss at the very beginning, since it has quite eloquent signs:

Next one, very important symptom- This is an unsteady gait. Many children suffering from this pathology periodically experience dizziness, ringing and buzzing in the ears.

Degrees of hearing loss

There are 4 degrees of hearing loss, they show how impaired auditory perception is.

Hearing loss 1st degree allows the child to hear spoken speech quite well, while being 4 - 5 meters from the sound source. If the conversation takes place in a whisper, the child can hear it from no more than 2 meters. Being further away, he will no longer be able to distinguish sounds, sound range to this extent is no more than 40 dB.

Hearing loss 2 degrees- this is approximately 45 - 55 dB, a child perceives sound at a distance of 2 to 4 meters, a quiet voice - at a distance of 1 meters.

With 3 degrees of hearing loss 60 - 70 dB, a child can hear the sound source only at a distance of 1-2 meters, and he cannot hear a whisper at all.

For hearing loss of 4 degrees the baby cannot distinguish normal spoken speech even at a distance of one meter; the sound limit is from 70 to 91 dB.

Hearing loss of the first and second degrees is initial, therefore they are not considered dangerous and must be treated; inability to perceive sounds above 91 dB is already considered deafness.

Classification of hearing loss in children

This disease is divided into several forms according to duration:

sudden - it occurs unexpectedly and develops in just a few hours;
acute - this is when no more than a month has passed since the deterioration of hearing, usually a consequence infectious diseases, traumatic brain injury or circulatory disorders;
subacute - the disease lasts more than 2 months;
chronic - the child has been sick for more than 3 months, the disease is difficult to treat, and no positive dynamics can be observed.

Depending on which structure of the auditory analyzer is damaged, hearing loss is classified into:

Conductive hearing loss occurs when the structure of the outer ear, eardrum, or middle ear ossicles is damaged. With this type, there is 1 or 2 degree of severity of the disease, the cause may be a large sulfur plug, inflammatory diseases middle ear, mechanical damage eardrum or prolonged background noise.
The sensory type of hearing loss changes anatomical structure cochlea of the inner ear. It is a bone canal that has a spiral shape, tapering towards the end. This canal is filled with fluid, inside there are villi that transmit a signal to the auditory nerve and then to the brain. Hearing loss of this type may appear due to the destruction of the villi of the cochlea; in this case, stage 1 of the disease is diagnosed.
With neural hearing loss, damage occurs directly to the auditory nerve or the cerebral cortex. Impulses coming from external environment, cease to be transmitted or processed. Auditory neuropathy falls into this category - this is when the excitation of the auditory nerve fibers is not synchronized. With neural hearing loss, the lesion can affect several departments at once.
With sensorineural hearing loss in children, one or several parts of the ear are affected. This type is characterized by a combination of sensory and neural types of auditory impairment. Most often, the inner ear, auditory nerve, or hearing center in the brain is affected. Occurs against the background of intoxication, allergies, viruses or infections. To distinguish sensorineural hearing loss from conductive hearing loss, doctors perform special examination, after which they find out which structure is damaged. The sensorineural group at risk for hearing loss is treated only with hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Mixed hearing loss can occur when conductive and sensorineural hearing loss are combined. In this case, treatment should be comprehensive and include not only the use hearing aid and implants, but also taking medications.

In more than 80% of cases, sensorineural hearing loss is diagnosed; other types of this disease account for slightly more than 10%.

Adenoids are the cause of hearing loss

Adenoids play a lot important role- they serve as a protective barrier, preventing pathogenic bacteria penetrate the body. But at the same time, they can become a source of infection, since they accumulate a lot of microorganisms. Adenoids usually become inflamed between the ages of 2 and 7 years, during the period when the immune system is developing.

During puberty, they decrease significantly in size; by adulthood, they are practically absent. But while the child is small, the adenoids enlarge during all colds, especially for children with reduced immunity.

When the adenoids enlarge, they block the opening auditory tube, thereby limiting the access of air to the middle ear. As a result, the mobility of the eardrum decreases and hearing loss may develop.

Treatment of hearing loss

Treatment of hearing loss in children must be timely, otherwise it can lead to complete deafness. If the cause is adenoids, a specialist can remove them using a laser. At various types hearing loss applies different types treatment.

Microcurrent reflexology. Helps treat children with sensorineural hearing loss, affecting many areas of the central nervous system:

activates the parts of the brain that recognize speech;
normalizes blood circulation in the auditory nerve and cochlea;
stabilizes the tone of cerebral vessels, which leads to less release of cerebrospinal fluid, this in turn normalizes intracranial pressure;
reduces excitability in particularly neurotic children.

Treatment with medications. This therapy is prescribed strictly individually, it all depends on the causes, type, degree of the disease and response to microcurrent reflexology. A hard-of-hearing child, in between reflexology sessions, should take:

B vitamins and phospholipid products;
nootropics for restoring the nervous system;
vascular drugs to improve blood circulation;
diuretics such as fennel or lingonberry leaf to reduce intracranial pressure.

During complex therapy, it is extremely important to conduct classes with the child to improve speech, memory, attention and consolidate other skills; it is better if they are conducted by a speech pathologist and a child psychologist. Additionally, parents can download a special program for free and conduct classes on their own at home.

Be healthy!

Hearing is one of the most important aspects in the full development of the child. Hearing plays an important role in the development of speech, thinking, and cognitive activity. The appearance of hearing loss in a baby is a big problem, which causes great discomfort and a lot of problems.

Hearing loss in children is a hearing impairment that varies in severity. In the process of this disorder of auditory function, it becomes difficult to reproduce sounds. According to statistics, there are about 600 thousand children with hearing loss in Russia. It is worth noting that some babies are born with birth defect organ of hearing.

This disease is characterized by incomplete hearing loss, in which the patient perceives sounds very illegibly. Experts note 4 degrees of hearing loss. As the degree increases, speech becomes less and less intelligible. The last degree borders on complete hearing loss.

The disease is divided by duration:

Sudden flow - occurs very quickly, literally in a couple of hours.
Acute - a more gradual deterioration in hearing, from the beginning of which no more than a month has passed. In most cases it occurs as a result of infection or injury.
Subacute – 1-3 months have passed since the deterioration.
Chronic – a person has been sick for more than 3 months. This stage is the most difficult to treat.

Based on the location of damage to the auditory analyzer, the following are distinguished:

conductive hearing loss;
neural;
neurosensory;
sensory;
mixed.

If the pathology develops only in one ear, then the disease is unilateral. If in both at once - double-sided.

1, 2, 3, 4 degrees

When highlighting the severity of the disease in children, experts take as a basis the results of tone and speech audiometry:

1st degree (fluctuations within 26-40 dB) - the baby can clearly hear and understand spoken speech over a distance of 4-6 meters, and understands whispers from a distance of 1-3 meters. It is difficult to understand speech in constant noise.
2nd degree (fluctuations within 41-55 dB) - the child understands conversation at a distance of 2-4 meters, whispering - from 1 meter.
Stage 3 (fluctuations within 56-70 dB) - the baby can distinguish speech over a distance of 1-2 meters, while the whisper becomes unintelligible.
4 degree (fluctuations within 71-90 dB) – Speaking completely inaudible.

When the hearing threshold exceeds 91 dB, experts diagnose “deafness.” In some cases, it is possible to take certain measures that can stop the progressive process of hearing loss by identifying the causes of the pathology.

Neurosensory

Sensorineural hearing loss is a combination of sensory and neural types. Both one and several departments may be affected: the inner ear, the auditory nerve. Most often, the neurosensory type of the disease develops as a result of injuries received during childbirth, as well as when exposed to toxins or viruses.

This form of pathology most often occurs in children, approximately 91%. In 7% of cases, conductive disorders are observed. The least common type of hearing loss is mixed type.

Conductive

The conductive form of the disease is a disorder that extends to the outer ear, as well as the eardrum and ossicles of the middle ear. In this case, doctors note 1 and 2 degrees of hearing loss.

As a rule, the reasons for the development of the conductive type are:

sulfur plug;
inflammatory processes in the ear;
eardrum injuries;
strong influence of noise;
growth of the bone located in the cavity of the middle ear.

Identifying hearing problems for more early stages will help prevent the onset of deafness and other serious complications. Treatment of this pathology should be carried out qualified specialist, who will select an individual course and approach to the problem.

Causes of hearing loss in children

To date, experts cannot provide accurate data on the reasons why this may occur. this disease. However, after a thorough study of this pathology, a certain number of possible provoking factors were identified:

Heredity - most often as a result of heredity, the baby acquires neurosensory and mixed look pathology. In this case, the child has irreversible changes in the organ of hearing, which, in turn, represent a bilateral impairment of sound perception. According to statistics, in 80% of cases the pathology appears isolated from other abnormalities, in other cases along with other genetic syndromes.
Negative impact of factors affecting the intrauterine development of the child - at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, the formation of auditory organs occurs. If in this period the woman suffered serious infectious diseases, this can negatively affect the development of hearing organs.
Certain injuries during childbirth.
If a pregnant woman led an unhealthy lifestyle and neglected timely visits to the doctor.
Diabetes mellitus in a woman.
Incompatibility of blood between mother and fetus - this state leads to Rh conflict and, ultimately, to disruption of the formation of organs in the fetus.
Premature birth - naturally, at the time of premature birth, the hearing organs are fully formed. However, hypoxia, which appears during childbirth, can have Negative influence to the auditory organs.
Negative consequences of past infectious diseases - in some cases, a child may experience complications in the form of hearing loss after rubella, measles, herpes, etc.

It should be noted that the causes of the acquired disease may include:

In some cases, the development of the disease in adolescence Systemic listening to very loud music may affect this.

Diagnostics

During pregnancy, diagnosis consists of screening. Children who are at risk for congenital hearing loss should undergo more careful evaluation. If a newborn baby hears clearly loud sounds, he will experience involuntary reactions in the form of blinking, inhibition of the sucking reflex, etc. Subsequently, otoscopy is performed to determine violations.

To explore well auditory function in older children, audiometry is performed. With preschoolers this diagnostic carried out in game form, with schoolchildren they conduct speech and pure-tone audiometry. If the specialist finds any deviations, electrocochleography is then used. With its help, you can identify the location of damage to the auditory organ.

Along with an otolaryngologist, hearing loss in children is diagnosed by audiologists and otoneurologists.

Is there a cure for hearing loss in children?

Carefully conducted diagnostic measures, as well as timely and comprehensive treatment can increase the chances that the child will gain full hearing. It is worth noting if this pathology originated due to complications of diseases functional system, in this case there is a chance to normalize hearing. If the disease is characterized by sensorineural disorders, recovery will require implantation of sensors. Of course, the time to see a doctor influences a positive outcome: the sooner you start therapeutic measures, the higher the chances.

Treatment

Treatment of hearing loss in children and their further rehabilitation are divided into four points:

drug therapy;
surgery;
physiotherapy;
functional treatment.

Of course, very in rare cases it is enough to remove the wax plug or other foreign object.

If a child has conductive hearing loss of grade 2 or higher, in which the eardrum has lost its integrity, doctors decide to perform an operation such as myringoplasty, as well as prosthetics of the auditory ossicles.

Drug treatment for sensorineural disease is selected based on the degree of hearing loss. So, if hearing impairment was caused by a vascular origin, the following may be prescribed to restore blood supply to the parts of the inner ear:

Vinpocetine;
Papaverine;
Bendazole.

Hearing loss of infectious origin is usually treated with non-toxic antibacterial drugs.

Physiotherapy for children with this disease includes the following activities:

electrophoresis;
pneumomassage of the eardrum;
magnetic therapy, etc.

It is worth noting that in some cases the only correct and effective method Treatment of hearing loss is prosthetics of the auditory ossicles.

Hearing is one of the main components of the normal development of a child. Hearing determines how a child will be able to acquire the knowledge necessary in life and be able to acquire skills and abilities. Hearing is necessary for the development of abstract logical thinking.

But it happens that, due to certain reasons, the ability to perceive sounds weakens or is completely lost. Partial hearing loss, called hearing loss, is more common. Complete hearing loss, deafness, when the child does not hear anything at all, is observed less frequently and may be associated with for various reasons.

Why does complete hearing loss occur in a child, how to determine deafness in a child? How is the treatment carried out? Let's talk about it. We will also clarify how to teach full communication to a child with hearing pathology:

Causes of deafness in children

The causes of pathology are divided into three main groups:

Heredity: Chromosomal abnormalities are passed on from a parent.

Congenital deafness in children: Occurs from negative impact on the fetus during pregnancy. Such factors include, in particular: smoking, alcohol, drugs, various infectious processes of the mother, as well as damage during birth: hypoxia, or the application of forceps, etc.

Acquired deafness: Can develop as a result of injury or prolonged exposure to noise. The cause may be diseases suffered at an early age: mumps, otitis media, as well as measles or meningitis.

Signs of deafness in a child

Deafness is noticeable in an infant from birth. Its signs can be determined without special devices. Let's list them briefly:

A hearing child flinches from a sudden sound, a loud voice.
If the baby does not hear, he does not react to this in any way, but freezes, listening to the calm voice.

At the age of 4 months, the baby does not react to the source of sound, does not turn his head in its direction, or searches with his eyes. He does not develop humming (the baby makes various sounds);

Babbling does not appear until 5 months. By 6 months he does not react in any way to the pronunciation of his name.

By 10 months he cannot pronounce syllables and does not speak simple words by one year of life.

If a child suffers from hearing loss to one degree or another, that is, hearing is not completely lost, the baby over a year old often asks again, comes as close as possible to the source of the sound in order to hear it better.

Treatment of deafness in children

Treatment of hearing loss is very successful in most cases. With complete hearing loss, everything is much more complicated.

Eliminate if possible causative factor, carry out complex therapy using medicines and physiotherapy methods. Normalize damaged structures ear, carry out detoxification.

They use therapeutic techniques aimed at improving blood circulation in the brain structures and auditory analyzer. They use specially developed techniques and exercises to acquire and improve speech skills.

Cochlear implantation

This technology is often used for the rehabilitation of deafness or severe sensorineural hearing loss. During the operation, the child is implanted with a cochlear implant, which delivers electrical impulses to the area of the auditory nerve. After this, hearing is partially or completely restored.

How to communicate with a child?

It is very important for parents, relatives and all people who communicate with a child who is deaf or hard of hearing to talk to him as actively as possible. As much effort as possible should be made to overcome the barrier of misunderstanding and establish contact. Here's what experts advise:

Never yell at a deaf child. He doesn’t hear what you say to him, but he sees your face distorted by a scream and this can greatly frighten him.

Use gestures when speaking. Gesture not sharply, but usually, but in more detail, so that the baby learns to understand what you want from him. Subsequently, he will learn to correlate articulation with gestures and it will be easier for him to learn to communicate.

Try not to speak in fragmentary phrases, but pronounce complete sentences. Stand or sit so that your child can clearly see your face, then clearly articulate each word spoken.

Attend classes with a teacher of the deaf. This specialist will teach the child and you the technique of reading lips and gestures, which will greatly facilitate communication.

If you find that your baby is completely unable to perceive sounds, or has very little hearing, consult a doctor. After the examination, the doctor will determine what treatment is necessary.

Teachers of the deaf in children's preschool institution for deaf or hard of hearing children, they will help teach the child to communicate with others, read and write, and use the voice to communicate.

Rumor is one of the essential functions our body, playing almost the main role in the development of the child. Through him Small child learns to explore the world; for an older child, it acts as a tool for communication with peers. One hundred percent hearing is a guarantee of attentiveness, ease of learning new material and easy learning in principle. Deterioration of hearing function deprives the baby of fully perceiving the world, communicating with others, and also slows down his development.

Decreases in hearing ability occur in at different ages: Impaired hearing can even appear at birth. Anyway to help infant or an older child, parents need to make every effort and consult a doctor at the slightest detection of a hearing problem.

The ability to hear is closely related to the development of speech and intelligence, so the sooner you see a doctor and diagnose a decrease in auditory perception in a child, the greater the likelihood of restoring the child’s hearing, and the risk of hearing loss is minimized.

Child and hearing loss

A decrease in the ability to detect and understand sounds in medicine is called hearing loss - this is a partial loss of hearing when surrounding sounds are perceived muffled. Sometimes they can be difficult to make out.

The problem of decreased or absent hearing in childhood today it is very acute. The statistics are disappointing: about ten million Russians suffer from a decrease in noise pollution and a decrease in sensitivity to sounds. Moreover, most of the diseases occur in cases of hearing impairment in children. One baby in a thousand is already born with hearing loss or impairment.

As already noted, the decrease or loss of auditory perception in a child can be congenital or acquired.

Based on the location of the pathology, sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss is distinguished. The conductive form is associated with dysfunction of the outer and middle ear. In the sensorineural form, there is a decrease in the function of the auditory receptors of the inner ear. This is the most common type of hearing loss, accounting for about 90% of all cases. If both types of disease are combined, we talk about a mixed form of this pathology.

Degrees of hearing loss

What is considered bad hearing? There are four degrees of hearing loss:

First degree: a person perceives sounds from 25 to 40 decibels (for comparison, good hearing is the ability to perceive sounds up to 20 decibels). Whispered and distant speech is difficult to perceive, but conversation is perceived well.
Second degree: the hearing threshold increases to 55 decibels. Whispered speech is perceived at a distance of no more than one meter.
Third degree: decibel values increase to 70. It becomes impossible for a child to perceive whispered speech. To hear your interlocutor, you need to approach him at a distance of one or two meters.
Fourth degree: the hearing threshold reaches 90 decibels. It becomes almost impossible to perceive the speech of others.

When the hearing threshold reaches more than 90 decibels, hearing is completely lost. Deafness sets in.

A decrease in a child’s sound perception can begin suddenly: with a sharp decrease in the child’s hearing, pathology develops in just a couple of hours. At acute course— the child’s hearing deteriorates within one month. Subacute decline auditory sensitivity occurs within one to three months. At chronic course- the decrease in hearing abilities occurred for more than three months.

But a decrease in a baby’s ability to distinguish sounds is not a reason to be inactive! It is necessary to contact a competent otolaryngologist at the first signs of hearing loss.

Factors leading to hearing loss

Hearing can be impaired due to many factors. The following factors can cause hearing loss in children:

infectious diseases suffered by a pregnant woman during pregnancy (measles, rubella, influenza);
genetic predisposition;
uncontrolled reception by the expectant mother antibacterial drugs and others medicines contraindicated during pregnancy;
fetal hypoxia;
premature birth;
injuries received by the baby during childbirth;
sulfur plugs located in the ear canal and interfering with normal sound conduction;
foreign object in the ear: children often unsuccessfully “experiment” with their bodies and stick foreign objects into their ears (parts from toys, construction sets, beads);
The cause of hearing loss in a child may be an infectious disease, for example, otitis media or rhinitis; in this case, the child’s hearing deteriorates temporarily; as a rule, the unpleasant symptom goes away after complete recovery;
the cause of hearing loss can be a traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss may not develop immediately, but after a certain time after the injury;
diseases of the upper respiratory tract(rhinitis, enlarged adenoids);
a decrease in sound perception can result in such serious infectious diseases as scarlet fever or measles;
injuries to the outer ear, for example, when inserting a toothpick or any other sharp object into it;
taking ototoxic drugs can also result in a decrease in the level of auditory perception;
loud sounds can lead to acoustic trauma and, in turn, provoke hearing loss;
rapid decline Listening to loud music on headphones may eventually result in hearing loss.

A child, with limited hearing, may not always understand that he has a problem, so parents need to be very careful and when the first alarm bells appear, they should immediately have the child examined by an ENT doctor.

How to recognize hearing loss?

The parents of a newborn have a huge responsibility. From the first days of life, it is necessary to very carefully monitor the baby’s reaction to loud sounds, to notice whether his behavior changes when his mother speaks. If your child exhibits any of the following signs, your child's hearing should be checked:

the baby has no reaction to loud sounds;
he does not show interest in the source of the sound, does not turn towards it;
does not try to pronounce sounds or words until one year of age;
he doesn't respond to given name.

As a rule, when the baby is two to three weeks old, parents notice problems with sound perception, if any.

Must be carried out additional examination baby if his mother suffered infectious diseases during pregnancy, even acute form otitis or rhinitis, or his immediate family suffered severe form hearing loss.

Parents of older children should be wary of the fact that the child does not respond to his own name when called in normal intonation, constantly asks again, and speaks louder than usual.

As hearing loss develops, the child complains of ringing and tinnitus, and constantly increases the volume when watching TV.

To reduce the risk of developing deafness when the first symptoms of hearing loss appear, you should definitely consult with an ENT specialist.

Diagnosis of hearing loss

Hearing restoration is carried out by a doctor - an otorhinolaryngologist. At the first appointment, the doctor will examine the child, check with the parents what symptoms appear in Everyday life, are the adenoids bothering you? Then the examination is carried out using several methods:

audiometric examination - to determine hearing acuity;
tympanometry - using a tympanometer to study the functions of the elements of the middle ear, as well as the mobility of the eardrum;
tuning fork research - carried out using special tuning forks;
studies of evoked potentials - carried out on young children during sleep, if it is impossible to carry out the above studies;
otoacoustic emission - the auditory nerve is stimulated with electrical impulses to test its response;
If necessary, additional X-ray examinations (CT- temporal bones, MRI of the brain, X-ray examination temporal bones according to Schuller, Mayer, Stenvers).

Treatment of hearing loss

As with any other disease, coping with hearing loss requires initial stage much easier. Typically, treatment includes a whole range of therapeutic measures, the choice of which depends on the cause that led to the disease.

In case of conductive hearing loss caused by otosclerosis, the ENT doctor may prescribe surgery to restore the mobility of the auditory bones. If secretions accumulate in the middle ear cavity, in this case it may also be indicated surgical intervention- eardrum bypass. If the patient has a defect in the eardrum, the surgeon will also offer surgery - myringoplasty, aimed at restoring its integrity.

If the cause of decreased hearing acuity is sulfur plugs, an ENT specialist will conduct necessary procedures for their removal.

If hearing loss manifests itself as a complication of an infectious disease, for example, otitis media, it is necessary to eliminate the inflammation itself: the doctor will prescribe antibacterial therapy depending on the age of the child, and unpleasant symptoms will disappear after complete recovery.

Sensorineural hearing loss is treated primarily conservative ways, including drug therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures and reflexology.

If the problem is congenital and the prognosis for recovery is not good, the ENT doctor recommends hearing aids - the use of a special hearing aid. It can be used when the baby reaches six months of age.

In particular severe cases For sensorineural hearing loss, cochlear implants are used for children under three years of age.

Dear parents! Please remember to avoid total loss hearing loss, you can only consult an ENT doctor in time!

Prevention measures

Preventive measures should begin primarily during pregnancy. For the expectant mother It is necessary to carefully monitor your health and avoid crowded places during epidemics.

If your baby is sick, do not self-medicate under any circumstances! Check with your doctor before giving your baby any medicine, as some medications may be ototoxic and cause hearing loss.

When infectious diseases or inflammatory processes, do not delay treatment, since the problem often manifests itself as a complication of incompletely cured diseases, such as otitis media.

As we see, the problem of hearing loss in childhood entails serious consequences for the baby's life. And it is certainly possible to help a child if you contact a reliable ENT clinic in time.

At Doctor Zaitsev’s ENT Clinic, we use proprietary treatment methods and the most modern equipment to treat diseases.

High results in increasing hearing acuity are shown by the Auditon and Transair - 07 devices, which percutaneously, transcranially, conduct microcurrent electrical stimulation of the hair cells of the auditory nerve, and thereby stimulate our hearing, and occupy a truly honorable place in the arsenal of our ENT clinic.

Reception is carried out by highly qualified professionals with great practical experience work.

Please make an appointment and come!

We will definitely help you!